According to a Timberwolves source, the Bulls made a “significant offer’’ Wednesday morning for the three-time All-Star, and it was an offer that was considered to be the latest leader in the clubhouse.

The source said that the two headlining names in the package were Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott, “as well as a few other assets.’’

A report from Sheridanhoops.com said that Nikola Mirotic was also involved, but the source could not confirm that. […] If McDermott or (Nikola) Mirotic are involved, the deal would have to wait 30 days until after each signed their rookie contracts, per NBA rules. Mirotic signed last week; McDermott signed his deal on Tuesday.

From our friends at USA Basketball: Featuring eight players owning USA Basketball experience, including four members of the 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie first team, USA Basketball today announced 13 players for

Featuring eight players owning USA Basketball experience, including four members of the 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie first team, USA Basketball today announced 13 players for the 2014 USA Men’s Select Team that will train July 28-31 with the 2014 USA Basketball Men’s National Team during its training camp in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“USA Basketball’s Select Teams are critical for getting some of the game’s brightest and most promising young players experience at the USA National Team level, and getting them into our pipeline,” said Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball National Team managing director. “Again this summer, as was done in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012, the members of the USA Select Team will play an important role in helping prepare the USA National Team for the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

“Being chosen for the Select Team is an honor and an important step in becoming involved in USA Basketball’s National Team program in the future. In the past, current national team players like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, as well as many other outstanding players got their USA National Team start through the Select Team.”

Members of the USA Select Team will assemble in Las Vegas and train with the USA National Team July 28-31 (12:00-3:00 p.m. PDT). All practices will take place at UNLV’s Mendenhall Center.

With 5 threes and a perfect 12-12 at the line, Doug McDermott showed his full arsenal last night against the Denver Nuggets in Summer League. Check out highlights of the Bulls’ rookie and 2014 Naismith Player of the Year Award winner in the vid above.

The Denver Nuggets have reportedly traded Creighton forward Doug McDermott and Anthony Randolph to the Chicago Bulls for the No. 16 and 19 picks in the 2014 NBA Draft. McDermott was originally selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 11th overall pick.

Doug McDermott has been traded to Chicago for 16 and 19, sources told ESPN.

Doug McDermott has been traded to Chicago for 16 and 19, sources told ESPN.

Just like every kid who grew up in the early aughts, Doug McDermott rocked Dada and AND 1. Over the years, his game and taste in sneakers has evolved. While at the Foot Locker x SLAM Draft Suite, McBuckets talked about what sneakers he’s wearing on-court, who he models his game after, and what NBA player he wants to hit a game-winning three over…

The day of the NBA Draft is almost here and it’s the realization of a lifelong dream for the selected. What every player wants is a chance to show what they can do, location of that opportunity lies secondary. It won’t be the best 60 players selected in this Draft as the NBA continues to rate players with potential above players who can play and, most importantly, know how to play.

Look for teams to use this opportunity to trade existing assets to get younger (and cap lighter) as well as to trade down.

Here are the top players in the Draft (it doesn’t mean they will be taken at these picks) in what is one of the deepest draft boards in years.

It’s official: Doug McDermott was the best player in college basketball in 2013-14.

Creighton’s senior forward was named the winner of the Wooden Award and the Oscar Robertson Trophy today, two awards that are annually given to the best player in college basketball. The Wooden Award—named for former UCLA head coach John Wooden—is given out by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, while the Robertson Trophy is given out by the US Basketball Writer’s Association.

Via Omaha.com:

The Wooden Award, presented annually to the nation’s top basketball player, is selected by a ballot of nearly 1,000 voters from across the country. The Oscar Robertson Trophy is presented to the group’s annual pick as national player of the year based on regular-season performance.

McDermott becomes the first Wooden Award and USBWA national player of the year from Creighton, and was a three-time All-America selection by both organizations. On Thursday, McDermott was name the Associated Press player of the year.

“Dougie McBuckets” finished his illustrious career with 3,150 points, the fifth most in NCAA history. McDermott’s senior year was one for the ages, as he led the Blue Jays in scoring (26.9 ppg) and rebounding (7.0 rpg) for the fourth consecutive year.

Though they lost the Pac-12 championship to UCLA, the Wildcats boast one of the most talented rosters in the field. The loss of Brandon Ashley certainly hurt Zona’s chances and make them much more beatable, but the triumvirate of Aaron Gordon, Nick Johnson and TJ McConnell are as good as any threesome in the Western region. McConnell is the engine that makes head coach Sean Miller’s offense run. The pass-first point guard makes the game easier for his teammates and is the perfect player to run this talented of a roster. The Wildcats are deep (seven players play at least 20 minutes), great on the boards (18th in the nation) and one of the best defensive teams in the country.

SLEEPERS

No. 6 Baylor

The Bears have always had the talent but just haven’t been able to get over the hump and get to the Final Four under Scott Drew. This season, Baylor slipped under the radar after a rough mid-season stretch but got hot at the end of the year, winning six in a row before falling to Iowa State in the Big 12 final (who they beat by 13 on March 4). Led by senior guard Brady Heslip, former SLAM All-American Isaiah Austin, and senior forward Cory Jefferson, the Bears are good enough to beat anyone in the West.

No. 4 San Diego State

Head coach Steve Fisher has put together one of the most consistent programs in the nation. Every season the Aztecs quietly work their way up the ranks and end up earning a high-seed in the Tournament. Rarely getting a big-time recruit, the Aztecs’ success is a testament to the coaching job done by Fisher and Co. This season, San Diego State finished with a 26-4 record and did it with defense; the Aztecs gave up just 56.6 points per game (second in the nation) and held teams to under 40 percent shooting.

No. 9 Oklahoma State

The Cowboys have had an up and down season but when they are playing well, they are as good as any team in the country. Marcus Smart’s triumphs and tribulations have been discussed ad nauseum and the simple fact is this kid is good enough to put a team on his back and carry them deep into the Tournament. The Cowboys are the last team Arizona wants to face in the third round and Oklahoma State should be considered a real threat to make a deep run.

Upset Watch: No. 14 UL-Lafayette vs No. 3 Creighton

Creighton is a tough team to figure out. Yes, they have the best player in college basketball in Doug McDermott but they are also undersized, live and die by the three-ball and if M become an average team at best when McDermott is struggling (which is rare). In the Big East Final, Providence gave the blueprint on how to stop the Blue Jays; play physical with McDermott, dictate the pace and crash the boards. The Blue Jays have a hard time guarding in the post and UL-Lafayette forward Shawn Long, who averaged 18.7 points and 10.5 boards per game, could give them problems. If the Cajuns defend well on the perimeter and get a big game out of Long on the post, an upset could be brewing.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Elfird Payton, G, UL-Lafayette

One of the best guards in the country no one is talking about, Payton averaged 19.1 points, 5.9 boards, 6.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game this season. The junior guard doesn’t shoot the ball well from deep but is big and and physical enough to get to the basket and is a legit NBA prospect. Payton has a chance to make a name for himself and climb up draft boards with a big game against Creighton.

Doug McDermott, F, Creighton

The nation’s best player, McDermott is near impossible to stop. A 3,000 career-point scorer, what makes the senior so good is how active he is off the ball. Whether it’s setting a pick, sealing his man, moving along the perimeter, or coming off screens, the senior is moving every second he is on the court. Though he is one of the top three-point shooters in the country, McDermott is also effective in the post and has a Dirk-esque fadeaway jumper that is unstoppable.

Sim Bhullar, C, New Mexico State

At 7-5, 355 pounds, Bhullar is tough to miss. Averaging 3.4 blocks per game, the big man alters way more shots than he blocks and is a disruptive force for any guards driving to the hoop. At his size, Bhullar doesn’t move very well but he does play 26 minutes per game which is impressive considering his mammoth stature. Bhullar has been playing great ball as of late and strung together games of 22 points, 12 boards, 5 assists against Grand Canyon, 24 points, 14 boards, 3 assists, 5 blocks against Seattle and 14 points, 9 boards, 3 assists against Idaho. If Bhullar performs well, the Aggies are a team to keep an eye on.

Marcus Smart, G, Oklahoma State

After a tumultuous season, Smart has a chance to redeem himself with a strong performance in the Tournament. Good enough to carry a team on his own but also erratic enough to disappear from games, the future lottery pick finished the season out strong after being suspended for three games late in February.

Nick Johnson, G, Arizona

The Pac-12 Player of the Year and finalist for both the Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy, Johnson improved in a big way this season and became a complete player capable of hurting opposing teams in all facets of the game. The highly-touted recruit has lived up to the billing and has Arizona in contention for a National Championship.

PREDICTION

In what is hopefully a pure coincidence and not an intentional move by the selection committee, five of the top-10 shooting teams in the nation are in the West region. This actually plays in Arizona’s favor as the Wildcats are one of the top defensive teams on the perimeter and are holding opponents to just 58.1 points per game. Arizona has been a tough team to beat all season and of their four losses, one came on a last-second shot and the another came in double overtime. A tough road lays ahead but the Wildcats are too good to get bumped by any of the other teams in the region.

Due to holiday travel, a cluttered work schedule and a nasty little head cold, the Week in Review has been on hiatus of late. My apologies. But now, with the new year upon us, we turn our attention to the most wonderful two months in all of college sport: the conference schedule.

It’s time for the rivalry games, the big January showdowns between two ranked foes, the tough road tests in raucous gyms. This is when the good teams show their chops, and the average teams begin to fall by the wayside.

I can’t wait to watch the Big Ten, with all its tradition and pageantry. I wonder if anyone can challenge Arizona in the Pac-12. I anticipate an interesting go-round in the Big East, with new teams on the circuit and some old-school conference mainstays—like Villanova, for example—looking to make a name for themselves. What about that Big 12? Can Kansas rebound; can Oklahoma State run the table? And the ACC? Duke and Syracuse are the clear favorites, but North Carolina has proven it can play with anyone in the country.

My New Year’s resolution? Watch more college hoops—2014 is going to be one hell of an interesting year.

Anyhow, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we do have some games to cover. Despite all that college football, there were still some early conference tilts on the docket this week, and here’s how a few of them played out.

GAMES OF THE WEEK

No. 10 Oregon 70, Utah 68

The Pac-12 slate started with a bang on Thursday night as the Ducks flew out of Salt Lake City with a conference win and a still-unblemished 13-0 record. If not for one great play by Oregon’s Damyean Dotson, though, Utah would have probably scored a big-time win.

First, with the score tied at 62 at the very end of regulation, Utah’s Jordan Loveridge found himself wide open for a wing three-pointer that would’ve won the game for the Utes. It was a great look but Loveridge missed, and the game went to OT.

Utah built a 68-66 lead late in the extra frame, but Dotson shook his defender with a deft crossover and charged all the way to the rim, scoring on a reverse layup. Tie game. Then, with only a few seconds left, Dotson tipped a Utah pass to fellow Duck Dominic Artis, who alertly threw the ball ahead to a streaking Dotson. With 0.6 seconds on the clock, Dotson threw down a dunk and gave Oregon a two-point lead.

But the Utes had one more chance. Somehow most of the Ducks had run downcourt with Dotson, leaving no defenders on the other end. Loveridge had another clean look at the buzzer but—luckily for Oregon—missed again.

“That was unbelievable. “I never had a game-winner like that before,” Dotson told the Associated Press. “It’s the greatest feeling for me.”

On the Utah side, Loveridge played a fine game despite the late misfires. He scored a game-high 21 points and secured five rebounds. After many seasons in the Pac 12 cellar, the Utes are looking to compete with the conference big boys this year. They certainly gave Oregon all it could handle.

Dana Altman’s Ducks, who went to the Sweet 16 last season, are off to their best start since 2006.

Washington State 25, No. 1 Arizona 60

Yep, Arizona is still the Number 1 team in the land and still undefeated. In their Pac 12 opener Thursday, the Wildcats shellacked lowly Wachington State by 35 points, holding the Cougs to 20 percent shooting from the field (9-45). Center Kaleb Tarczewski scored a game-high 11 points for Arizona as the ‘Cats put this baby to bed early.

No. 21 San Diego State 71, Colorado State 61

A New Year’s Day tilt, Mountain-West style. Xavier Thames went off in the second half, scoring 10 points in three minutes to lead the Aztecs to their first conference win of 2014. Colorado State had played catch-up for most of the game, but the Rams cut the deficit to six points before Thames took over. SDSU was in control after his jump-shooting outburst and closed out the 10-point victory.

You don’t hear much about SDSU, but Steve Fisher’s Aztecs have quietly turned themselves into a first-rate club. As of January 2 SDSU is 11-1 (1-0 MWC), with impressive non-con wins over Creighton, Marquette and Washington. The Aztecs’ only loss of the season thus far came against Arizona, 69-60, way back on Nov. 14.

Two days after Christmas SDSU beat a team called St. Katherine 118-35 (!) in what must have been a pseudo-exhibition. Then the Colorado State win on Wednesday, followed by a huge showdown at Kansas on Jan. 5. I suggest you tune in for that one. Thames is an elite distance shooter, and the SDSU frontcourt can dominate on the glass. The Jayhawks could very well have their hands full at the Phog.

“I think we can be pretty good,” Thames told the AP after the Colorado State win. “I think we can win the league, as long as we do the little things, stay focused and cut down on our turnovers. We’ve got a really good team.”

No. 11 Villanova 76, Butler 73

Behind 20 points from JayVaughn Pinkston, and after watching their lead slip away in the second half, Jay Wright’s Villanova Wildcats held off a tenacious Butler squad in overtime Tuesday at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse.

With 21 seconds left in the game and the Wildcats up by two, Butler’s Kellen Dunham knocked down a tough fade-away jump shot to knot the score at 66. Nova outscored Butler 10-7 in a hard-fought overtime, with Pinkston knocking down critical free throws to help seal the win. The Bulldogs had a shot, though—Butler rebounded a missed three-pointer and set up an inbounds play with five seconds left on the clock, down by one. But Dunham was well covered and couldn’t catch the inbounds pass.

The Boilermakers are always tough in West Lafayette, and undefeated Ohio State found itself in a dogfight on New Year’s Eve. But LaQuinton Ross’s monstrous double-double (25 points, 12 rebounds) was too much for the Boilermakers as OSU notched its first conference win.

Purdue was very much in this game until midway through the second half. That’s when the Buckeyes embarked on a couple of big runs, outscoring Purdue 16-2 during a rough stretch for the Boilermakers. But they didn’t throw in the towel, closing the deficit to five points with about a minute and a half remaining in the game. OSU is undefeated for a reason, though—Aaron Craft and his experienced cohorts didn’t buckle under the pressures of a road-game environment; they wrapped up the win.

AJ Hammons played a huge game for the Boilermakers, scoring 18 points and snagging 16 rebounds in 33 minutes of action.

No. 5 Michigan State 79, Penn State 63

Another Big Ten elite played a New Year’s Eve road game and came out on top: Rallying from a 47-40 halftime deficit, the Spartans dominated the second frame and ran over Penn State in Happy Valley. Branden Dawson and Keith Appling led MSU with 20 and 14 points, respectively.

The Spartans shot 50 percent from 3-point range (10-20).

MSU travels to Indiana this Saturday for another road test.

Indiana 80, Illinois 83

The Illini held on against the Hoosiers Tuesday in a great battle at Assembly Hall.

The game headed to overtime tied at 71. With about 20 second left Indiana’s Will Sheehey knocked down a pair of free throws to make the score 78-77, Illini. Then center Nnanna Egwu, who wasn’t having a good shooting night, got fouled and headed to the free-throw line. Egwu hit both shots to give Illinois a tenuous home win.

Guard Yogi Ferrell, who’s established himself as Indiana’s on-court leader this season, played a rugged 43 minutes of basketball, scoring a game-high 30 points and nearly willing his squad to victory. But Illinois played a tough game, too, led by guard Rayvonte Rice and his team-high 29 points. All told it was a tense, competitive game between two evenly matched sides.

“We’ve got some tough dudes,” Illini coach John Groce told reporters. “We take a lot of pride in that.”

Marquette 49, Creighton 67

The new-look Big East kicked off its conference schedule with a Tuesday night game between two winning programs. I always try to watch whenever Creighton plays ball, because I like this Jays team and I love their star senior, Doug McDermott, the second-highest scorer in the country.

Marquette never really got rolling in this one; Creighton was up 37-24 at the half and coasted to the finish line. The Golden Eagles were just 19-53 from the field and 2-12 from behind the arc. They’re still trying to find last season’s form. Creighton, on the other hand, fired off 62 shots from the field and made 24 of them (40.3 percent). If you play the Bluejays, you better guard the perimeter—Creighton was 13-35 from three-point territory and only shot four free throws the entire night.

McDermott led the way with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Marquette defended him well, but the versatile forward still contributes even when he’s hounded by double-teams. With elite footwork, a smooth stroke and some of the best off-ball movement you’ll ever see, McDermott is worth the price of admission. And his teammates aren’t bad, either.

Nebraska 57, No. 22 Iowa 67

The Hawkeyes secured an unspectacular conference win at home on Tuesday. Roy Devyn Marble scored 15 points and snared eight rebounds to lead Iowa over a very game Nebraska squad. Terran Petteway had 20 and 12 for the Huskers, who at one point were down by 20 points but came almost all the way back on a 20-5 run very late in the second half.

Iowa will have to play a much better game on Sunday if it hopes to beat No. 4 Wisconsin in Madison. Better free throw shooting would certainly help – the Hawkeyes were just 22-39 from the charity stripe.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sam Dekker – Wisconsin

The always-dangerous forward piled up 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists during Wisconsin’s 76-49 Big Ten blowout of Northwestern on Thursday night. Dekker is the best offensive weapon on the No. 4 team in the country, largely because of his versatility—like many of Bo Ryan’s Badgers, he can pass the ball extremely well, crash for rebounds and score from a wide variety of spots on the floor, including behind the arc. Congrats Mr. Dekker, you are the Player of the Week. And your team is pretty solid, too.

GAMES I’LL BE WATCHING

Washington vs No. 1 Arizona, Saturday, 2:00 EST

Washington won its Pac 12 opener, but now the Huskies visit Tucson for a date with the Wildcats. Can they make a game of it?

No. 5 Michigan State vs Indiana, Saturday, 2:00 EST

Make no mistake, the Hoosier fans will be going crazy for this one. Anything can happen in Bloomington, even though on paper the Spartans are the better team.

No. 7 Duke vs Notre Dame, Saturday, 4:00 EST

The Jabari Parker show rolls into South Bend.

Dayton vs Ole Miss, Saturday, 8:00 EST

Dayton is 11-3 and on its way to a fine season. Ole Miss has one of the best shooters in the country, Marshall Henderson, plus a solid 9-3 record. Worth watching just to see Henderson sling some three-balls from 40 feet.

No. 21 San Diego State vs No. 16 Kansas, Sunday, 4:30 EST

Can the Jayhawks hold serve against a talented Aztecs squad?

No. 10 Oregon vs No. 20 Colorado, Sunday, 5:00 EST

The Ducks put their undefeated record on the line at Colorado. A good battle between two teams that should be in the running for the Pac 12 title.

No. 22 Iowa vs No. 4 Wisconsin, Sunday, 8:00 EST

The up-and-coming Hawkeyes play an exciting brand of ball. Wisconsin can play any brand it likes. Should be a great one in Madison.

Holiday time we get enamored with all things new, shiny and bright, and for much of the early part of the college basketball season, we have done just that, drooling over the talented freshman class. Lost and forgotten is the impressive crop of seniors who look to be factors in determining who cuts down the nets in Dallas.

This group has the floor burns and conference victories under their belt. They have earned more minutes, more field-goal attempts and more respect. Freshmen, take notice at who’s really taking people to ‘school’ this season.

ALL-SENIOR TEAM

Russ Smith Jr, 6-0, Louisville

As explosive a player as there ever was in college basketball—that’s all phases; offense, defense and capable of causing a team to explode. Defending National Champion.

Doug McDermott, 6-8, Creighton

Old reliable will go down in the annuls as one of the greatest college scorers of all time. Will never have to pay for a meal in the “Heartland.” He’s everyone’s First-Team All-America.

Aaron Craft, 6-2, Ohio State

B1G opponents will line up and give him Mariano Rivera treatment when the Buckeye stopper concludes his college career. One of the best on-the-ball defenders to ever lace them up. All-time performer in Columbus. Defensive Player of the Year Candidate…fourth year running.

Keith Appling, 6-1, Michigan State

The engine that could and does. Has piloted the Spartan attack for four years looks to lead Izzo back to the Final Four. The Motor City guard is a fierce competitor who backs down to no one! All Glue Team.

Shabazz Napier, 6-0, UConn

Seasoned performer has elevated his game to Naismith caliber. Has 80-plus wins in his college career, ‘Kemba-lite’ carries the Huskies on his back with his scoring. Has done it all this season from game-winners to triple-doubles. Captain-All Ice Water Team.

LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF…

CJ Fair, 6-8, Syracuse

Credentials: 1 Final Four trip. 3 NCAA Tourney trips, All-Big East Second-Team ’12-13 season, ACC Pre-Season Player of the Year

• Has nearly tripled his scoring since freshman year

When the game is on the line, you want CJ taking the shot. Outside of being a prolific scorer, he is averaging nearly 2 steals a game leading the Syracuse defense. When was the last time you remember, the best player on a top-three national team receiving such little attention? The Baltimore-Syracuse-NBA pipeline will stay intact, the kid can flat out ball.

Kendall Williams, 6-4, New Mexico

Credentials: 2 NCAA Tourney trips, Mountain West Player of the Year ’12-2013, Pre-Season Mountain West Player of the Year

• Scoring average has improved each year to nearly 19 ppg

Considered the nation’s most underrated guard. Kendall is shooting over 46 percent from beyond the arc and over 9 free throws a game (making 86.5 percent). Had 46 points against a ranked Colorado State team last February to help propel the Lobos to the Mountain West crown.

Chaz Williams, 5-9, UMass

Credentials: Named to Naismith Player of the year Watch List, Two-time First Team All-Atlantic 10 Selection. Pre-Season A-10 Player of the Year

• Has had a Jameer Nelson type of impact bringing UMass back to national relevance. Williams has led the Minutemen to their first Top-25 ranking in 15 years.

Inch-for-inch the finest guard in America. Chaz is a dual threat, averaging over 15 points per game and dropping 7.4 assists per contest, good for third in the nation. Former five-star MOP is lightning quick, one-man press defense and press breaker.

• Showed immense offensive talent on the big stage of Madison Square Garden last year during Iowa’s post-season run. Looks to elevate the Hawkeyes to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006.

Talented perimeter scorer often has to navigate through multiple defenders. He’s a capable rebounder. Special talent has brought the excitement back to Iowa City.

Lamar Patterson, 6-5, Pittsburgh

Credentials: Named ACC Player of the Week December 2

Fifth-year senior has improved across the board. Averaged less than 3 points a game in his first two season, didn’t quit, didn’t transfer, now the leading reason for the Panthers’ optimism into the ACC. Patterson’s averaging over more than 4 assists and 4 rebounds to go with his 17 points per game. Shooting 52.7 percent from the floor, 45 percent beyond the arc and 77 percent from the charity stripe.

Leigh Klein was formerly on staff at Texas and Rhode Island and is a popular guest on radio. He now owns Five-Star Basketball Camps, the nation’s top basketball camp. He contributes to SLAMonline and its coverage of college basketball and the NBA Draft. Klein can be followed at @leighalanklein.

That’s the fate Creighton’s Doug McDermott chose after he gave up his scholarship so that sixth-year senior and close friend Grant Gibbs could have a spot on the team.

McDermott was traveling with Team USA in the World University Games when he heard that the NCAA allowed Gibbs, who has suffered through knee injuries in college, another year of eligibility.

“I was in an airport super exhausted,” McDermott says, “but when I heard that news, I was ready to go.”

The three-time All-American could just be college basketball’s greatest walk-on ever. Last season, McDermott averaged 23.1 points per game for the Bluejays—the second best in Division I.

This season he’ll get to test his chops in the Big East, and although Creighton is making its debut in the storied league, McDermott is likely to become its pre-season player of the year.

“I was kind of under the radar the last two years,” McDermott says. “It will be a big adjustment.”

Helping him make that adjustment will be his father Greg, who is also the head coach at Creighton. As the son of a coach, Doug has been learning the game since his first breath.

“I’ve pretty much had a ball in my hands ever since I was born,” Doug says.

And while his dad can seem like he’s on top of him more than other players (Greg essentially made the choice to take Doug off scholarship), the leading scorer in Creighton basketball history recognizes how special these four years are.

“The best part probably isn’t right now,” Doug says. “It will be 10 years down the road to look back and say I did it.”

The Associated Press announced its annual preseason All-American team earlier today, and Oklahoma State’s star guard Marcus Smart was the only player to be unanimously named to the First Team.

Smart is joined on the First Team squad by Creighton forward Doug McDermott, Michigan forward Mitch McGary, Louisville guard Russ Smith and Kansas guard Andrew Wiggins. Sixteen other players received First Team votes, with Ohio State guard Aaron Craft and Duke forward Jabari Parker among the honorable mentions.

As a freshman in 2012-13, Smart established himself as one of the premier combo guards in the country. The Texas native averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game and helped lead the Cowboys to the NCAA Tournament. Smart surprised many when he spurned the NBA to return to Stillwater for his sophomore year.

McDermott is the country’s leading returning scorer, averaging 23.2 points per game for the Blue Jays, who made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and won the Missouri Valley Conference last year. McDermott also averaged 7.7 rebounds last season, and is one of two seniors to be selected to the team.

McGary may be the biggest surprise on this team. Despite averaging 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds for the defending national runners-up, McGary saw his stock fly through the roof with a strong showing in the NCAA Tournament, where he averaged 14.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.

Smith is the other senior on the team. The Bronx native helped lead Louisville to its third national championship in school history, averaging 18.7 points per game on the year and 22.3 points per game during the Tournament.

Finally, Wiggins is the second freshman selected to the team since 1986-87, and the first since Harrison Barnes in 2010-11. While he has yet to step on the court in a sanctioned game for the Jayhawks, he did put up 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks in Kansas’ preseason exhibition against Pittsburg State last weekend.

Creighton University forward Doug McDermott has announced he will not enter the 2013 NBA Draft, and instead return to school for his senior campaign. The two-time first-team All-American, who averaged 23.2 points per game last season, made the announcement at a news conference late last week. More details, via ESPN.com: “‘Finally, I just said, You know what, I’m coming back,’ McDermott said. ‘I’ve had enough of this. I’m ready to make this decision. This is where my heart is. The NBA can wait. I feel like I can play there someday, but this is an opportunity I can’t pass up.’ Greg McDermott said he and his wife were proud of how their son arrived at his decision. ‘At the end, he felt it best to stay,’ Greg McDermott said. ‘He needed to follow his heart and do what he needed to do, and once he makes his decision to not look back and just move forward.’ The 6-foot-8, 225-pound McDermott said he can use another year of college to prepare physically and mentally for pro ball.”

Happy weekend, college basketball fans. I can’t believe it’s late January already… just a few more weeks and we’ll be talking brackets!

Now, with all those NFL Playoff games, weird scandals and high-profile confessions swirling around over the past 14 days, it’s possible that you were distracted in recent weeks, and maybe you watched a little football—or a little Oprah—instead of the usual college hoops action. Who can blame you? It was riveting TV.

Don’t you worry, though, because the Week in Review has got ya covered. We skipped last Friday, so today’s edition will cover the most noteworthy games from mid-month until now. To better organize this novella-length column, I’ll start with the top games from this week, and then recap several important matchups from the week of January 12 (since the column runs Friday, we start the week on Saturday). Yeah I know, it’s a little weird, but it’s the only sensible format I could come up with, so bear with me.

Keep in mind that the rankings are always in flux, and the number next to a certain team is the ranking it possessed when that particular game was played.

One last thing: Today’s Player of the Week feature will spotlight the top baller from the past two weeks, so it’s more like the Player of the Fortnight.

OK, enough small talk. Let’s get after it.

WEEK IN REVIEW—January 19-25

GAME OF THE WEEK: No. 9 Butler 53, La Salle 54—Wednesday, January 23

Just four days after a slim victory over Gonzaga in Indianapolis, Butler again took part in a classic, one-point ballgame. But this time the Bulldogs fell short, losing a heartbreaker to the unheralded La Salle Explorers, an Atlantic 10 rival, in Philadelphia.

It all came down to the bitter end. After a tough Butler layup that put the Bulldogs up by one, with just a few seconds remaining in the game, La Salle’s Ramon Galloway hurried up court, made a quick move and drove hard against Roosevelt Jones. Protecting the ball, he dribbled down the left side, straight toward the bucket, and scored. The Bulldogs had one final shot, a long-range heave from Jones that bounced off the iron.

La Salle plays in a small gym by college standards, but all 3,400 spectators were on their feet Wednesday night. At one point Butler opened a 10-point lead, a sizable deficit against a team as physical as the Bulldogs. But La Salle hit some clutch shots and clawed back into the game, eventually closing the gap late in the second half.

According to ESPN, the Explorers hadn’t beaten a top-10 opponent since 1980. The students charged the floor to celebrate the win.

“It’s the greatest feeling ever,” Galloway told the Associated Press. “It’s one of the greatest wins ever in my life. I know it is for my teammates, too.”

Tyreek Dureen scored 15 points for La Salle, including a pair of second-half buckets that pushed the Explorers into the lead. Guard Sam Mills contributed 11 points and five rebounds. Galloway, who came off the bench, tallied six points and a pair of steals.

On the Butler side, center Andrew Smith scored a team-high 16 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Leading scorer Rotnei Clark didn’t play; a sprained neck has kept him on the sidelines for three games. Bulldogs coach Brad Stevens was characteristically composed after the tough loss.

“I’ve got to do a reasonable job of keeping this in perspective,” he told reporters. “We beat Richmond and Gonzaga without Rotnei, and we lost a one-point game at La Salle against a very good team without Rotnei. I think we have to keep that in perspective and move on.”

I wasn’t sure about making this contest my Game of the Week (‘Cuse vs Louisville was my other choice), but then I thought about all the storylines at play here. Powerful Butler, just two years removed from its National Championship runs, versus a small Philadelphia school with less money, less notoriety, fewer resources, a tiny gym. La Salle down by 10 but coming back. An unknown player hitting a layup at the buzzer, the hero shot. Fans storming the court and mobbing the team. Players choked with emotion afterwards. What more could we ask for?

Plus, there’s this quote from La Salle coach John Giannini, a man who clearly believes in his team:

“It was a dramatic win for our players, our fans, our students. It was awesome. But am I going to tell you I’m shocked that we won? Absolutely not.”

That’s the kind of brash confidence you need when you battle a team like Butler.

The Bulldogs moved to 3-2 in the A-10, 16-3 overall. Their No. 9 ranking is obviously in danger. La Salle, sitting at 3-2, is just one game behind in the conference standings. Both squads are looking up at Xavier, No. 16 VCU and—oddly enough—Charlotte, which all have four A-10 wins.

Saturday, January 19

No. 6 Syracuse 70, No. 1 Louisville 68

In all honesty, I wasn’t expecting Syracuse to win this game—on the road against the No. 1 team in the country, in the sparkly-new and packed-to-the-rafters KFC Yum! Center (not a great name, but a beautiful arena), against a talented Rick Pitino-led team. But I underestimated smooth point guard Brandon Triche, who was sensational for the Orange, and Syracuse’s most effective weapon: The Zone.

Triche was on fire to start the game, hitting three’s and crossing up defenders. He can change direction on a dime, and he slithered into soft spots in the Louisville defense (the Cardinal played some zone, too), finding those open areas where he could shoot or dish to teammates. At halftime the score was knotted at 38, and Triche had scored 18 of his eventual 23 points.

After a rough first half, Syracuse’s Michael Carter-Williams got rolling in the second. He scored 11 of the Orange’s final 13 points, including a steal-and-dunk-it combo with 23 seconds remaining in the game. Carter-Williams finished with 16 points and seven assists on the night.

The Syracuse 2-3—that long-limbed, constantly rotating zone that has frustrated so many offenses over the years—did its job on Saturday, holding a talented Louisville squad to 40.7 percent from the field. Still, Louisville had a chance to win it, but late turnovers and big plays from the Orange gave Syracuse a critical conference victory.

Russ Smith was Louisville’s top scorer, racking up 25 points on 8-18 shooting.

‘Cuse scored another Big East win over Cincinnati on Monday, bringing its record to 18-1. The Orange host Louisville in the Carrier Dome on March 2—circle the calendar.

No. 8 Gonzaga 63, No. 13 Butler 64

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have been rolling through the WCC, but they faced a stiff nonconference test against Butler at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler’s Roosevelt Jones, an unconventional player who hits ridiculous running flip-shots all the time, knocked down a ridiculous running flip-shot at the buzzer to knock off the 8th-ranked Zags.

Gonzaga had this game in hand: Ahead 63-62, needing only to inbound the ball and get fouled, the Zags turned it over on a horrendous miscommunication at half court. With 3.5 seconds left, Jones galloped toward the rim and hit the game-winner.

As Butler coach Brad Stevens told reporters after the game, “These guys make you believe.”

It was Butler’s 13th straight win (a streak that would end on Wednesday against La Salle). Jones scored a game-high 20 points and snared eight rebounds. Guard Kellen Dunham added 15 points for the Bulldogs.

For some fun commentary on Gonzaga, Butler and playing at Hinkle Fieldhouse—a barn with plenty of… umm… idiosyncrasies—check out Mark Titus’s column at Grantland.com.

No. 15 San Diego State 45, Wyoming 58

How ‘bout them Cowboys? Wyoming knocked off a potent San Diego State team on Saturday, adding another W to its impressive 15-2 record (now 15-3, as of Thursday). Sharp-shooting Leonard Washington had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the ‘Boys, a man-sized double-double, while Derrious Gilmore piled up 13 points.

And what defense! Wyoming held SDSU to 28.8 percent from the field (17-59). San Diego State scored just nine points in the first half. Sure, it didn’t help that the Aztecs missed all but two of the 18 three-pointers they chucked, and clearly had one of the worst shooting nights ever.

But the lads from Laramie are a quality team, and at this point in the conference season the Cowboys look like contenders for the Mountain West title. Maybe it’s a long shot, but still… I’m seated firmly aboard Wyoming’s rickety old Conestoga bandwagon.

Wisconsin 66, Iowa 70

At last, my beloved Hawkeyes knocked off a quality Big Ten opponent. Wisconsin, just a few days removed from beating No. 2 Indiana, rolled into Iowa City with the best record in the conference and left town with its first Big Ten loss.

Iowa’s Aaron White led all scorers with 17 points, while Devyn Marble chipped in 13 for the Hawkeyes. It was a meaningful game for the Hawks, in more ways than one—Iowa honored the memory of former player Chris Street, who passed away 20 years ago Saturday.

I’ve been hyping the Hawkeyes all season—they’re young, well coached and athletic. And they can shoot pretty well, too. But Iowa is still mercurial and inconsistent, fighting for a spot among the league’s elite teams. If the Hawks can hang with Wisconsin, though, they can hang with anyone.

Displaying its typical parity and competitiveness, the Big 10 is battering itself into a mishmash of very good teams with very respectable records, many of which are ranked in the top 25. But there’s no clear-cut favorite to win the league. Of course Michigan, Michigan State, OSU and Indiana are all in contention, and—with a little luck—Minnesota, Illinois or Wisconsin could probably compete for the Big Ten title as well. Hell, even Iowa could give it a shot. At the conference tourney, with its one-and-done, winner-take-all drama, anyone can make a run.

No doubt about it, February will be a very interesting month in Big Ten country.

Other Saturday notables:

No. 7 Arizona 71, Arizona State 54

No. 17 Missouri 52, No. 10 Florida 83

No. 11 Ohio State 56, No. 18 Michigan State 59

No. 21 Oregon 76, No. 24 UCLA 67

Monday, January 21

Georgetown 63, No. 24 Notre Dame 47

Not much to say here, other than Notre Dame isn’t quite as good as we all thought it was. Otto Porter Jr scored 19 points for the Hoyas. The Irish shot around 35 percent from the field and made only 2-16 from beyond the arc.

Tuesday, January 22

No. 3 Kansas 59, No. 11 Kansas State 55

By all accounts, this one was ugly—as befitting an in-state rivalry betwixt two tough, physical teams. The Jayhawks held on for a four-point Big 12 victory, taking hold of first place in the conference with a 5-0 record.

K-State pulled within three points in the final minute of the game, but Kansas nailed a handful of clutch free throws to ice the victory. Travis Releford scored 12 points for the Jayhawks, a team-high. Jeff Withey and Ben McLemore had 11 points apiece.

“That game went just as all you predicted, not the most artistic,” Kansas coach Bill Self said to reporters.

Other Tuesday notables:

No. 5 Louisville 64, Villanova 73

No. 13 Michigan State 49, Wisconsin 47

Wednesday, January 23

No. 1 Duke 63, Miami 90

Hmm… not the result I expected. Credit the Hurricanes, though, because it’s a rare thing to beat a Coach K team by almost 30 points. So much for that No. 1 ranking…

Other Wednesday notables:

No. 17 Creighton 69, Drake 74

SDSU 78, Nevada 57

Thursday, January 24

Purdue 53, No. 2 Michigan 68

An inspired Purdue outfit opened a one-point lead at the end of the first half, but in the end Michigan was just too good—the Wolverines pulled away in the second frame and secured another Big Ten victory.

If Michigan beats Illinois in Champaign on Sunday, the Wolverines will be the No. 1 team in the land.

UCLA 84, No. 6 Arizona 73

Ben Howland’s Bruins weren’t fazed by the whiteout in Arizona—they took command early and held off the Wildcats for a solid Pac-12 win. Freshman Shabazz Muhammad scored 23 points for UCLA, Larry Drew II had nine assists and David Wear collected 15 points and eight boards.

After a season watching her son become one of, if not the best basketball players in the country while simultaneously watching her husband coach a school to a conference tournament title—subsequently earning a ticket into the NCAA Tournament—Theresa McDermott might have been close to overdosing on basketball.

So when All-American Doug and Creighton coach Greg sit at the dinner table, the conversations do not include an orange ball or a round hoop. The Bluejays’ father-son duo makes sure basketball is the last topic that’s brought up.

“When Doug’s out at the house, we try not to talk [basketball] business,” said Greg McDermott, who took over as Creighton’s head coach in 2010. “It’s family time.”

So what do they talk about?

Politics? The weather? Desperate Housewives?

“Nah,” Doug McDermott said. “Just anything but basketball.”

In a house decorated with trophies, both Doug and Greg concede Theresa to be the real star of the family as a breast cancer survivor.

“My mom gets to eat, sleep and breathe basketball with us,” Doug said. “Our family lives it. …And to have her be so supportive, I know it means a lot to my Dad and I.”

Theresa gets credit for another thing, too: Seeing her son’s potential before her husband did.

Rewind to 2008 when Doug was a tall, noodle-armed 185-pound soaking wet post player who came off the bench as a junior for a Harrison Barnes-led Ames High School squad.

With college coaches and scouts coming to Ames games frequently to see the No. 1 recruit in the country, Doug blended in as a loose ball-chasing, charge-taking hustle player who at first glance looked like an above average high school kid and potential D-I player.

Fast forward to 2012 and those coaches are shooting themselves in the foot. Sure, Barnes became a standout at North Carolina as expected and was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the summer, but McDermott finally stepped out of the shadows and into the spotlight last season. Oh, and Doug’s gained a little weight, checking in at 220 pounds to go with his 6-8 frame.

After a strong freshman campaign (team-highs of 14.9 ppg and 7.2 rpg) that flew under the radar, McDermott helped catapult Creighton into top-25 polls last season as a sophomore, while putting up glaring numbers in the process. The end result of a season in which he averaged 22.9 ppg (third in the nation), 8.2 rpg a game and shot 60.1 percent was a first-team All-American stamp to supplant McDermott as the game’s best returning mid-major player and perhaps the best player in the country not recruited by John Calipari.

How did he get from A (average high school player) to B (one of the most talked about college hoopers)? Harrison who?

“I’m not the most athletic player by any stretch of the imagination, but I know how to be in the right place at the right time and put myself in the right position,” said the younger McDermott, who spent the summer fine-tuning his game at elite camps.

Before last season, McDermott wasn’t a household name. Now, Doug’s predicted by just about every outlet as a preseason All-American. He finished behind only overhyped Indiana big man Cody Zeller in first-team votes on the AP All-American team.

One of those coaches left scratching his head who watched Doug play in high school: his old man.

“Doug is the perfect example of what hard work can do for you,” the older McDermott said of his son, who might lead the nation in floor burns. “When you look at his stat line, it’s easy to think that’s raw talent. When you see him play, in person, you know he works for it. That’s what impresses me.”

No matter how many times Theresa would drop hints about her overshadowed son when her husband was coaching at Iowa State, recruiting Doug to play for Cyclones didn’t seem like the right fit in Greg’s mind.

“I didn’t think he could play in the Big 12,” the older McDermott said. “Oops.”

Turned out, Iowa State wasn’t the right fit for him. After a lackluster stance (59-68) in Ames, McDermott jolted back to the Valley, where he had a strong track record by piloted Northern Iowa to four NCAA Tournament appearances.

“I understood the tradition of Creighton,” said the older McDermott, who replaced longtime coach Dana Altman, who left for Oregon. “We have an NBA arena that draws 17,000 a year now, that’s the sixth best attendance in the country. Omaha is a wonderful city. The support is unparalleled in college basketball.”

Once Greg arrived in Omaha, he finally recruited his still-under-the-radar son, pulling him away from Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson, Greg’s great friend and godfather to Doug. Nicely and regrettably, Jacobson obliged to send the best player the Valley has seen since Larry Bird (that’s right Kyle Korver) to play for a rival.

Sometimes, potential is the toughest thing to scout when recruiting young hoopers. McDermott missed it with his own kid. Doug developed a wet jumper from beyond the arc to mesh with his finesse post moves. His versatility and lethal scoring ability are uncharacteristically perfect for Creighton’s offense.

After a record 29-6 record last season, Coach McDermott was able to take off his coaching whistle and reflect on his son’s season as a father.

“It’s a unique situation obviously, but it’s very cool as a parent when the season is over, to reflect on what has transpired for Doug individually,” the older McDermott said. “And to have been able to share that with your son, it’s an experience we’ll always cherish and mean more to us somewhere down the road. Certainly, (Theresa) and I are proud of how hard Doug’s worked and how hard he’s handled his success by being humble.”

But unless it’s for laundry or a home-cooked meal, both McDermotts try not to over-do it.

“As cool as it is to see your son every day, I’ll admit most college kids don’t have to see their parents more than once or twice a month, so I try to give Doug his space.”

Now that the McDermotts and Creighton are on the nation’s radar, expectations begin to flood in. Everyone wants a March darling for the Dance. The Bluejays have the right formula: father-son-coach combo, a star player (McDermott, obviously), stud big man (Gregory Echenique returns after averaging 9.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg), experience (Senior Grant Gibbs, a Gonzaga transfer last year, averaged 7 ppg, 4.5 apg, 5.0 rpg) and most importantly, depth (virtually the entire core of the team returns). Check, check, check and check.

“The fact that we return nine-10 guys from last season—you can’t put a price tag on that type of experience,” the older McDermott said. “We certainly have the pieces, the chemistry to have a very good season.”

There still are question marks for Creighton, though, mainly on the ever-important point guard position. One player the Bluejays did lose was starting floor general Antoine Young, who averaged 12.5 points a game last year. Sophomore Austin Chatman will get the starting nod after some reps as a rookie.

“That’s our only serious question, at the point guard position,” Coach McDermott said. “How can Austin respond? Obviously, he’s moving into a starting role. That presents a different level of expectation. A year ago, if he was having a rough night, we had a senior (Young) to come in. Now, he’ll have to play through some of those mistakes. I think he’s prepared himself for this moment in the offseason.”

But Chatman is expected to learn fast for a team with towering expectations. Creighton was picked to win the MVC and given a No. 15 ranking in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll.

Yes, the spotlight is shining on the cornfields of Omaha, Neb., of all places because of Doug’s prominence, while his coaching father and experienced/underrated teammates remain in the background. After spending years as a second fiddle to Barnes or the coach’s son, now he’s the starting point of every scouting report and known as the stud who dropped 44 points on Bradley on the road.

When Doug isn’t in the gym crafting his game, he’s chilling out in Omaha, where he’s listed Jimmy’s Egg as one of his many go-to spots.

“It’s not just corn fields, there’s actually a lot to do here,” Doug said, laughing.

He said he does get some celebrity treatment as the star of the basketball team, particularly from older Creighton fans and alumni, but goes relatively unnoticed on campus.

Don’t Creighton students know this guy is big time?

And you think this dude would be cocky. Instead, he’s the guy with dinner table manners.

“The expectations placed on his shoulders are off the charts,” Coach McDermott said. “But I think he knows to take everything with a grain of salt. He’s been very efficient in his approach. I wouldn’t expect anything different from his production this season. He’s continued to grow his game as a defensive player, with his ball handling skills, his abilities facing the basket.”

And you’d think there’d be animosity for special treatment of the coach’s son.

That’s hardly the case.

“I think most coaches expect more out of their best players, I try to treat it that way,” he said. “I ride him more than any player, if you want to call that special treatment.”

When asked to assess his stellar sophomore campaign, Doug says, “I think I have to be more patient with a lot of things, I know my defense needs to be much, much better.”

That’s right, Doug McDermott is still trying to get better. He still has the chip on his shoulder. But how do you trump last season’s numbers?

“You don’t,” he said. “But that’s not what it’s about. It’s about winning. Our team has a lot of goals. We want to win the Missouri Valley regular season, we didn’t do that last year. And we want to get back to the NCAA tournament and go far. We want to beat the North Carolinas of the world.”

The Bluejays made it to the Big Dance for the first time since 2007 last season and won a tournament game for the first time in over a decade. That doesn’t satisfy either McDermott, or any player with “Creighton” stitched across their jersey.

After McDermott and Creighton lost to former high school teammate Barnes and North Carolina in the second round of the NCAAs, there’s an undying itch that needs to be scratched this season. And it’s the kind of itch that makes a preseason No. 15 ranking mean nothing.

The older McDermott is quick to point out how difficult the often-disrespected Missouri Valley is and noted that while Creighton is the favorite, it’ll be a dogfight like always.

“A lot of people forget Wichita State won the league last year,” he said. “The Valley is always tough. A lot of teams are returning players and a lot of teams have great recruiting classes. Really, I think there are several teams that could contend. Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Wichita State, even Drake are all in the equation.”

Looking ahead, Doug McDermott’s mindset is focused on his short-term goals of winning the Valley, making the NCAA tournament and advancing. But long-term, he’s definitely considered the NBA.

Let’s just say, it hasn’t moved up on his to-do list just yet.

“I got some positive feedback this summer,” he said. “But for me, it’s just about focusing on this season. It’s hard to not think about the NBA but at the same time college is the best four years of your life, especially here in Omaha.”